No, you aren’t hallucinating — this is a Mom Sexy Fridays post. I know, I know — it’s been forever since I’ve had one go up, but give me a break, ok? I’m doing the best I can since I went back to work full-time a little over 4-months-ago (I’m LOVING my new job, by the way.)

And since it’s been so long since I’ve had someone guest post and help spread the Mom Sexy love, I can’t think of anyone better to get me back on the bandwagon than Sarah from In the Trenches of Mommyhood. She’s totally one of my best bloggy peeps (even though it’s been rumored that the two of us are nothin’ but trouble when we get together.)

Sarah & her boys

Sarah had a mind once. Now she has children.

With a husband and three sports-loving sons, Sarah’s Boston trenches are full of balls – literally and figuratively. She is a habitual nail-biter, Coke Zero drinker and cabernet-lover, and her personal blog chronicles her oftentimes guilt-riddled working motherhood journey and her quest for non-pee-smelling bathrooms.

I just completed my third half marathon this past weekend. I know, I can’t believe it either.

I never thought running could be Mom Sexy, but trust me, it is.

Well, not the actual physical act of running. I’m more of a trudger than a runner. Or, for that matter, the immediate aftermath: sweatiness and shortness of breath are NOT Mom Sexy!

But you know what IS Mom Sexy?

Feeling strong. Feeling confident. Feeling proud because you can run 13.1 miles (in a row!) without stopping.

And running does that for me.

Another Mom Sexy benefit to running is this: ALONE TIME. How often do we, as overworked and underappreciated CEO’s of our Trenches, get to have 30 minutes or an hour to ourselves, to do something beneficial for both our mental and physical health?

Running gives you this time.

And you know what? Anyone can be a runner.

Let me repeat that. ANYONE can be a runner.

Yes, you. And you. And you.

Have you ever stood at the finish line of a race, whether it’s a 5k, a 5-miler or heck, even a marathon?

Runners come in all different shapes, sizes and ages.

How’s that for Mom Sexy?!

Do you think you want to be a Mom Sexy runner? Check out my blog section titled Sarahviz Runs for motivation and guidance!

(And pssstt…I hear The Mommyologist herself has started the Couch to 5K program!)

Please welcome Jacki from Dare 2 Dream Dare 2 Do as my Mom Sexy Fridays guest poster today! (And please give her a round of applause for being understanding about the fact that my schedule is nuts as hell lately — cuz it really is).

Jacki is a book obsessed, maniacally efficient, logically creative, feminist in a conservative facade who is currently training for her first 5k race. She works full time outside the home, is finishing up a Master’s degree, and coaches her son’s soccer team. She obviously has too much on her plate (like most moms).

We all have this moment when we know we need a change. Whether it is a new job, a new diet, or a new haircut. Something, anything, just to get us out of our rut, get the momentum going, and feel like we are more than what we have been.

For me, it started with exercise.

This past November I began working out with a personal trainer once a week. It was costly and not something everyone can afford, but I was just not capable of keeping myself motivated.

With no one keeping track of my successes but me, well, let’s just say we were screwed from the very beginning.

I needed accountability. I needed to not look like a complete lazy jack ass in front of a healthy 21 year-old college student/personal trainer.

I had learned to live with lazy jack ass, but I didn’t want someone else to see it.

So I began a cross training workout with the TRX system once a week. With homework. Yes, exercises to do at home. And I did them, because I knew that my trainer would be expecting improvements by our next appointment.

Suddenly, something happened. Having never, ever, ever even considered running a viable and enjoyable form of exercise (running for the sake of running, come on?), I was partaking in the Couch to 5K training program.

I was also lining up friends and family members to run 5K’s, 20K’s, and mud runs with me. I was looking forward to getting up at 5:15 am and into the gym by 6:00 am to start my day with weight lifting and sprints.

Crazy shit, huh?

What the hell happened? Well, I ran. I ran for a few minute longer than I thought was possible and I looked inside myself and was proud and amazed. Then I ran a little bit longer, or a little bit faster.

I continued to feel amazed, for a bit. Then the amazement went away and was replaced with this even better feeling of “if I can do this, what the hell else can I do?” and the good old “I freakin’ rock!”

Know what else happened? I started craving healthy food and eating better. I started using moisturizer daily, exfoliating my skin regularly, and considering outfits beyond hoodies and jeans. I was feeling good on the inside and I wanted that to shine through.

That’s not it! I started all kinds of things that I was once afraid to even try or consider possible. I haven’t sold the house and packed up the family to travel around the world, but I am moving towards the goal of doing something with my 40+ hours a week that will make me happy, well fed, and feeling like the me that I have kept hidden for so very long.

The hidden me is awesome, she is sexy, and she can’t wait to taste each new day. All because I didn’t want to be a lazy jack ass any longer. All it took was just one step, one change.

Please welcome my second guest poster for my new Mom Sexy Friday series, Jocelyn from Scooter Marie. Jocelyn is one of my absolute favorite Twitter buds, and I am so thrilled to share her Mom Sexy story with you today. She wrote a fun little introduction for you, so here she is in her own words!

Hi, I’m Jocelyn, and this is life as I know it… novice blogger, first-time mom, and ready to try something new.

I’m wife to R, mom to D, and lover of life in general. My blog is where I let all the thoughts running around in my head come to life and have their fun. You’ll get some good, some bad, and maybe some ugly, but hopefully I’ll keep you coming back for more.

You can find Jocelyn’s blog here, and also make sure to follow her on Twitter. She’s great! (And don’t even try to start hatin’ on her for how freakin’ amazing she looks after having a kid. She worked hard for that bod, and I will kick anyone’s ass who gets all jealous and weird of her hotness. Of course…”envy” is another story).

Reclaim Your Body AND Your Mom Sexy

As you probably all know by now, I gave birth to our first child, a little girl, back in August of last year. That means we are now officially parents of a toddler. Eep! But what was quite possibly more immediately frightening to me as a new parent than thinking ahead to the toddler stage and tantrums and all that jazz was what was going to happen to my body since I was done being pregnant. I’d never done this before, had all different areas of my body stretched to such extreme limits, so I had no idea whatsoever what the result was going to be. What does one do after carrying around 33 extra pounds? Was my butt ever going to shrink back to its normal size? Were my arms going to stop resembling stuffed sausages? Were my thighs planning on stopping rubbing together any day now? And what in the hell is going to happen to my stomach?? I didn’t even know my skin could expand that far!

Before I got pregnant it would have been considered an oddity if you didn’t find me at the gym after work each day. I usually got in some sort of class or workout on Saturdays, too. I was a swimmer in college, so I was used to being in ridiculously good shape. Once out of school I never really wanted to set foot in a pool again (i since have, but not nearly as often as in days of yore), so I turned my sights to different forms of exercise – biking, running, a little continued weight lifting, etc. Nothing stupendous, but enough to stay in good shape. And I fully expected to continue my regimen as far as possible into my pregnancy. Ha. HAHAHA! Yeah, that didn’t work out quite as planned. What with the getting sick shortly after I found out I was pregnant and having the nightmarish cold/cough combo for almost 8 weeks since I couldn’t take any medicine that actually did anything. And the first trimester tiredness. You know, that feeling of sheer exhaustion after simply sitting at your desk all day. How could I POSSIBLY be expected to exercise? I could barely drag myself from my car into my house. And then at one point I was even put on a no-heavy-exercise restriction, so I had no choice but to refrain.

So that’s basically just a long way of saying I was pretty out of shape by the time our daughter was born. No, really out of shape. Like half a flight of stairs winded me, when multiple flights normally wouldn’t cause one extra puff of breath. Needless to say, I was a little worried about how my body was going to come back from both the pregnancy and the complete lack of cardiovascular capacity. Not to mention the fact that I had lost basically all my muscle mass, too. I was just a saggy, mushy new mom. Awesome.

Now please don’t punch me in the face when I tell you this next part, but it’s all part of the story. I lost my baby weight and then some by about 3-4 months postpartum and have actually managed to keep it off since. I have to credit all of that to breastfeeding and taking almost daily walks with the stroller in the first couple months after D was born, because I still wasn’t doing any sort of my typical exercise. I think I jogged maybe 3 times last fall, but that hardly counts.

So no longer was I a saggy new mom, but I was definitely still mushy. And that has been my #1 goal this year – just to get back in shape, retone everything that had lost its luster, and not feel so out of breath after performing simple everyday tasks. I even contemplated running a half marathon this summer to really put the icing on the proverbial cake, but that notion was quickly tossed out the window when I realized how much training I would need to go from negative form to 13.1 mile form. When was I supposed to do that? These baby things take up a lot of time, time that I probably could have otherwise spent running. Probably.

I took things very slowly, easing back into the whole workout routine, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. I started with slow, short 1.5 mile jogs, some abs, and a few pushups, until I felt my body was ready to move on. That was back in the spring, and I have since progressed to resuming workouts with my trainer once a week, twice-weekly morning workout sessions on my own with a Jillian Michaels DVD, abs and pushups a couple times a week, a good amount of running this spring and summer, and I even threw a couple 5ks in there for good measure. Surprisingly enough, my times in those races were very close to my best times ever, which came years ago when I was training for a much longer relay race. So yes, I’ve been pleased with my ability to actually get myself back in shape after baby, knowing that I want to be in tip-top condition whenever we think about going through that whole baby-making and -birthing process again.

And guess what has magically appeared lately with my rediscovered fitness and confidence in my body? Yup, Mom Sexy! I told a tale recently of how it all of a sudden hit me at the gym one night a few weeks ago during one of my training sessions, but I am feeling really good about how I’ve pushed and worked my body to get back in shape after having a baby. And I want to show it off. Don’t get me wrong – this is definitely not my way of saying oh yeah, look how awesome I am, rub-it-in-your-face taunting. Absolutely not. I have never been one to “flaunt it” or really even consider myself sexy at all. I just want to show that I’ve learned it is possible to reclaim your body after having a baby. Just because we’re moms doesn’t mean we still have to look and feel like we’re *brand new* moms body-wise.

Oh, and those babies? Use them in your workouts! Baby bicep curls, anyone?

How about some lullaby lunges?

Son or daughter squats?

And we can’t forget the offspring abs!

Mom Sexy for me has come with getting back in shape, so now I want to share the love and find it in all other areas of myself as well. Attitudinally, not just physically. We’re moms, and dammit, we are still sexy!

I can’t thank Jocelyn enough for giving us all the inspiration to get into a good workout routine and stick with it. Being good to your body is definitely Mom Sexy, and confidence absolutely comes from feeling good inside and out! Way to go Jocelyn…you deserve every single ounce of the Mom Sexy you have, and you are such an amazing example of just how far hard work and dedication can take you.

If you’d like to be a part of my Mom Sexy Fridays series and help inspire other women to take their sexy back after having kids, please email me at themommyologist(at)gmail(dot)com for details. I’d love to hear your story! – Mary

I’m pleased to bring you a guest post today from my new bloggy friend, Gina, over at Mommy Posh. She has some great advice on how to put the “Posh” back into your daily routine!

Gina is the founder of Mommy Posh, a website catered to fashion, beauty, parenting tips, and pop culture, particularly for mothers. The website was born when stay-at-home mom Gina to son Blake channeled her previous beauty business knowledge to bridge her love of fashion and motherhood. Check out her blog on Mommy Posh and follow her tweets @mommyposh.

How To Enhance Your POSHness….

By celebrating “YOU”, you have already channeled your inner POSHness. Being POSH is a state of mind. Adding the title MOM to the mix makes everyone envious and keeps them guessing on how you are always able to maintain that glow. But sometimes we need help on the outer to represent what’s inside. So here are just few tips to add that extra glam into your day to day (yes, you can do it):

Dressing Up for a Night Out & Show Some Skin

Showing some leg or a shoulder is always sexy. It keeps everyone guessing. DON’T buy a dress that doesn’t fit you, it does not look flattering. Show off that post pregnancy figure. With new hips and enhanced cleavage you will be the envy of everyone.

Encourage Date Night With Your Mate

Ask a neighbor, friend, or a family relative to watch your little one while you and your mate do something special. Head to the movies or go bar hopping. By just spending some quality time alone, you can get that spark back in your relationship. The day to day hustle can leave us stressed out, but without our family we are nothing. Stealing a kiss with your mate while making dinner for the fam or holding hands across the dinner table can increase your libido and recharge your batteries…duh, that’s where the glow come from.

Shoe Suggestions

I love my ballet flats. They look and feel comfortable and they will never go out of style. Pre-baby (and admittedly during my pregnancy), I was notorious for wearing high heels. But with play dates and running after my active toddler son, heels are a no-no. So with a chic pair of ballet flats and skinny jeans I feel sexy, yet comfortable.

Keep It Easy and Simple

Every woman needs a little sparkle of glam in her life, no matter how busy or tired. It can be easily done with adding color to your wardrobe, meeting up with your friends monthly, or joining a mommy meet-up group. Putting on a pair of oversized sunglasses and a touch of lip gloss is another perfect pick-me-up that you can add to your life.

The Ultimate Accessory: Oversize Tote

An oversized bag is a multi wear use. It can be doubled into a diaper bag or purse. When using it as a diaper bag with the usual necessities (diapers, wipes, extra clothing, etc), you must not forget the other things needed to make you that POSH mom. I, for one, carry my iPhone, my mommy business cards, lip gloss, mints, and parenting or gossip mags. These keep in me check when scheduling mommy meet-ups, doctor appointments, or just catching up on the latest mommy-baby trends.

Don’t Compare

Not every one mom or child is alike…imagine? To be clones like everyone else..how boring…so DON’T compare your babies or try to impress another mom. Dropping a line like, “He’s still waking up at night? My daughter has been sleeping through since 6 weeks.”, is a total buzzkill. Besides that comment not being lady-like, how is anyone going to want to hang with your little one when mommy is a total snob?

Meet and Mingle

DON’T be shy and DO talk to other moms at the park—most will be happy to have a grown-up conversation. If you have connection with them, invite them to have a play date, or to meet at the playground, or better yet, meet for a glass of wine sans the baby. Here’s your chance to wear that off the shoulder smock dress!

Happy Friday everyone! I am so pleased to be doing my first guest blog today over at Make Me A Blessing, and I’d like to say a huge thank you to Courtney for letting me invade her little corner of the blogosphere today! She is in the process of moving from Florida to California…that’s a lot of miles! Be sure to stop by and check out her adorable blog, and feel free to leave me some love over there on my guest post today!

If you missed yesterday’s giveaway for a $20 gift card from Whole Foods, click here to get in on the action! I’m helping to spread the word about GE’s Pledge For Better Health, and what better way to do that than to offer someone the chance to win free groceries?

One more thing before I sign off today…I am STILL having issues with Google Friend Connect, so if you are a new follower and I’m not following you back yet, it isn’t for lack of trying! Please know that I appreciate you following me and I will keep working to figure out the problem.